Former foes Arne Carlson and John Marty team up against Citizens United ruling

​In 1994, GOPer Arne Carlson defeated state Sen. John Marty, D-Roseville, to remain Minnesota's governor. But now the former political enemies are working together on a bill that would tighten regulations on political campaign contributions in the state.

The legislation would require that the board of directors or executive councils of corporations or unions -- not just a CEO or president -- approve any political contribution. It would also prohibit political contributions by foreign-owned corporations. Marty told MinnPost he plans to introduce the bill this session.

That ruling held that the First Amendment prohibited the federal government from restricting political expenditures by corporations and unions. At the time the court issued its opinion, 24 states, including Minnesota, had laws prohibiting or restricting corporate and/or union spending on political campaigns. Two years later, 10 of those states, again including Minnesota, have repealed those legally-vulnerable restrictions either via legislation or a state supreme court ruling.

While the legality of the Marty/Carlson bill is questionable, its goal is not. It strives to make corporations and unions accountable to stockholders and members when making political contributions.

Carlson told MinnPost:

Carlson: "I take some issue that political reform emanates from the left."

​

For a long time I have felt that a manager, that is, the CEO of a company, ought not to have unilateral authority to donate to candidates and causes. The reality is that the shareholder owns the company and is represented by the board of directors. So any decision should come from the board of directors. That should be the same for all business decisions.

Marty said "there's a growing sense that we are going to have to push back," because "the Supreme Court blew it."

"Corporations are not people, money is not speech," he added.

Carlson predicted some conservatives will support the bill, but in this case legislative approval may only be half the battle. With post-Citizens United federal law clearly allowing unfettered contributions to Super PACs, it's hard to imagine how the former foes' well-intentioned proposal could withstand a legal challenge.

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With all due respet for two very decent politicians, the bill does not go far enough in halting the wholesale auction of our politicians, from the President down to a schol board member, outside money has purchased influence and policies. It is not by accident, that bills are submitted in so many state houses simultaneously.

Restrict the money to those who can vote for a candidate and only those that can vote.

Hambone: what a small mind you must have. The democratic party is Anti-Catholic, Sexist, elitist snobs who have a history of Rape (Clinton & Kennedy's) and clueless. Obama is one of the four worst presidents ever. Obama and Klobuchar are taking us into another recession - right now, today. So much for Recovery Summer of 2010 and the official recession he inherited ended in june 2009. Get your head out of your arse!

I like and agree with this article and what it says about the Bill,law,amendment or whatever its called.I own a lot of stocks and Arne is right.It should be the board, NOT the CEO or whoever to decide.To me that sounds more like a dictator to me.

Wow remember when republicans were not extreme ultra religious wackos, teabagging bigots and corporate whores? Seems like a life time ago. Glad to see arne has not fallen into the black hole that has become the GOP.